


Of Turtles and Taxes

by feelingpotato_y



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, Lams - Freeform, M/M, SCHOOL is for LOSERS amirite, i'll keep adding tags later on, idek man, is it high school or uni, these tags are the worst rip, very fluffy but there might be some angst, who cares
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-07-14 08:37:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7162691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feelingpotato_y/pseuds/feelingpotato_y
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexander takes a break (which he may or may not have been forced into doing by his friends) just in time to meet John.  </p><p>(AKA in which Alex is stressing too much and goes to the Aquarium where he meets John, who seems to be obsessed with turtles)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the Living Room, Stressing

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy this really short first chapter guys! :) (Tell me what you think in the comments or on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com)

Alexander woke up to the sound of his alarm clock blaring, the noise reaching him easily through the thin walls of his bedroom. He had passed out on the couch in the living room, surrounded by books and empty cans of Red Bull. The fridge was still half-opened, and there was a stain on the carpet that wasn't there yesterday morning. He'd have to take care of that later. Alexander scanned the room with his eyes, still dazed after the failed all-nighter. His face flushed with panic after a quick glance at the clock: 9:06. His exam had started at 9.   _Shit,_ he thought, jolting upwards, _I shouldn’t have stayed up that late yesterday._ Alexander looked down at his wrinkled green tee and baggy pants, and decided that it was good enough. He reached for his coat and gathered his books as quickly as he could then stormed out of his apartment, the empty cans blown under the couch as a result of the sheer force with which Alex slammed the door shut. Alexander, in his panicked rush, had completely forgotten to turn off his alarm clock.

On the way to school, Alexander realized he’d also forgotten to do his hair, and it was sticking out in every direction. It wasn’t usually this curly, but sleeping on the couch combined with the fact that he hadn’t washed it in 3 weeks caused his hair to twist and tangle in every which way. Alex groaned and put his hair in a much-less-than-perfect ponytail. There, that part was done. He just hoped no one would notice the circles under his eyes, which seemed to be even darker than yesterday. Alexander jogged past some old lady and her dogs, and then the donut store close to his apartment. He picked up his pace. He’d really have to hurry if he wanted to be allowed inside the classroom.      

Alexander was moving faster and faster. The closer he came to reaching his classroom, the quicker his feet moved. By the time he was inside the school building, he was running at full speed. Out of breath, he opened the door to his class.

Alex’s least favorite teacher, Mr. André, looked up from his dusty old laptop. He stared at the tired boy for a while before speaking. “Ah. Alexander Hamilton. My star pupil.” There was almost more sarcasm dripping from his voice than there were beads of sweat on his forehead. _Almost._

“Have a seat. Take your time though, you’ve run enough for one day by the looks of it.”  Alexander could hear someone snickering in the front row of the class. Luckily, one of Alex's friends, Hercules Mulligan, saved him a seat. Hercules motioned for Alex to hurry up, and Alex quickly sat down with a sigh of relief.

“Tired?” whispered Hercules, with a frown on his face. He was clearly worried about the boy next to him. “Like you wouldn’t believe,” replied Alexander, equally as quiet, sighing again, this time more worn out than relieved.

He was already looking down at his paper, so he didn’t see the concerned look his friend sent his way.


	2. If Martha Were Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter!! This one's a bit longer (but still short lmao) Anyway, have fun reading!! ;D

Alexander hadn’t slept in a week, so his friends weren’t surprised when he said he wasn’t in the mood to go out. He was practically falling asleep on the phone with Lafayette. After dozing off for the tenth time, Alex ended the phone call, but it was no use. Even though they were in the same room, his friends didn’t stop texting until 3 in the morning. He knew he shouldn’t have put Herc and Laf in the same group chat.

 

 **Baguette:** _do you think dogs know tht i love them??? it is important_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _ya they know. they know everything_

 **Baguette:** _ok thats just creepy_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _u kno what else is creepy_

 **Baguette:** _herc i s2g_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _UR MOM_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _heheheheheh_

 **Baguette:** _go to sleep_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _u first_

 **Baguette:** _GO TO SLEEEP_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _…………fine_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _SIKE!!!!!!!!!_

 **Baguette:** _omg_

 **Baguette:** _stop it_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)make me_

 **Hammy:** _GUYS COULD YOU PLEASE MAYBE JUST SHUT UP_

 **Baguette:** _sorry mon ami_

 **HERCULES MULLIGAN:** _shit sry alex we’ll let u sleep_

 

_***_

 

Alex felt as though his skull was cracking open. He couldn’t think straight, and his arms weren’t working with him. It was six in the morning and he was tired, even more so than usual. He was already awake, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again. Alexander decided to walk around his apartment and stretch his legs. It wasn’t much, but it fit most of his needs. A little kitchen, a small bedroom (which he barely used anyway) and a relatively big living room for when he pulled all-nighters.

 

Alexander lived with Lafayette and their adoptive parents, George and Martha Washington, up until July last year. The Washingtons had asked him if he wanted to get his own apartment closer to school, so he wouldn’t have to take the bus every day. At the moment, it seemed like a great idea. George and Martha were about to go on a two month vacation, and Alex didn’t exactly look forward to being alone in their giant manor for that long, even if he did have Laf to keep him company. So now Alexander and Lafayette both had their own apartments closer to school. They had visited each other often, but Alex doesn’t leave his apartment much anymore. A lot of the times he’d be up until sunrise, frantically studying and worrying about everything.

 

If Martha were here, she’d tell him to stop thinking about his grade, and that he’d be just fine. She’d make him pancakes and remind him that his whole life didn’t revolve around how well he did in school. Martha always knew how to calm him down. Her words always seemed to reach him in a way that nobody else’s could. But she wasn’t here now. And Alex felt more alone than ever.

 

Alex checked the fridge. Two cans of Red Bull and some leftover fries. He’d have to go grocery shopping again. Alex put the fries in the microwave and called Lafayette. Maybe he wanted to go to the store with him.

 

“Laf?”

“Alexander, mon ami, how are you? Did you get enough sleep last night?”

“Yeah I did,” Alex blatantly lied. “Hey Laf, would you mind going grocery shopping with me today? My fridge is empty again.”

“Oh, of course! Mine is empty too anyway. I’ll take Herc too, since he basically lives here with me,” Lafayette said. Alex could hear laughter in the background. “We’ll be at your place in 10.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did you like that chapter? Tell me in the comments or on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com


	3. Alexander, Go Back to Sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter?? *TJeffs voice* whaaaat? (I just like writing okay. A lot.) (Especially when it's v gay. But don't tell anyone.)

**_The wind lashed around the windows, the small house creaking under the pressure like an old horse who had been whipped one too many times. The sound of raindrops pattering on the rooftops that had once been a comforting sound to the people of Nevis, now seemed equal to Death knocking on their doors. The hurricane had left devastation in its wake, and it wasn’t  going to stop any time soon. Alexander didn’t remember much of that day, but some of his memories were horrifyingly vivid, burned in his memory like a stain he just couldn’t wash away, no matter how hard he tried. Like the way the sound of the storm was broken by that woman’s screams when she found her son, dead, or the way Alex came home that day to find half of his home gone, or the way there were phones ringing next to corpses, mothers trying to reach their children, fearing the worst but never losing hope. He would never forget the face on that little boy he used to see in the park, when he found his only role model, his sister, buried alive under the wreck of the very diner she would take him to every day-_ **

 Alexander woke up in a cold sweat, the nightmare so close he felt like he would fall right back in if he so much as closed his eyes. He was sitting in the kitchen, huddled in the corner with his knees to his chest. He looked at the clock. It had only been six minutes since the phone call with Lafayette, but it felt like hours had passed. _Did I pass out?_ He shudders, remembering the recurring dream, and for a split second, he thinks about his mother. His mother, who loved him no matter what.

  
**_“Alex, did you get in another fight?”_ **

**_Ten year old Alexander knew his mother didn’t get angry often. He knew she wasn’t angry now. Still, he couldn’t ignore the pang of guilt in his chest, when he heard the sad tone in his mother’s voice, when he saw the vaguely distant but caring look in her eyes. It was moments like these where Alexander truly felt disappointed in himself for resorting to violence. Why didn’t he use his words? He knew he could have. He knew enough words that had the power to make that other kid tremble in his boots. Yet he didn’t speak up. Why?_ **

 Alex was pulled out of his daze when he heard someone fiddling with his front door. “Merde.. How do you get this thing open?” He could recognize that French accent anywhere. “Yo Alex, your keyhole is broken,” a second voice, Hercules, proclaimed loudly, “Or maybe it’s just Laf.” “Hey!”

With the arrival of his friends, Alex completely forgot about the whole ordeal.

 

“Woah Alex, you look like shit! Are you alright?” Hercules placed his palm on Alex’s forehead.

“Yeah I kind of, um, passed out? Sort of?” Alex started rubbing the back of his neck, “But I’m fine now. Really guys, let’s just go.”

“Non non non! Alex, if you passed out, then something is clearly not fine, mon cher.” Lafayette’s worried glare caused Alex to turn his eyes to the ground. “We will get some blankets, and you will go to sleep, okay?”

As much as Alex wanted to disagree, he was tired and his friends were right. “Okay,” he whispered, and Lafayette quickly ushered him back inside (they were still standing on Alex’s doorstep), and laid him down on the couch.

“I know you never sleep in your bed,” he smiled, and then turned away to help Hercules get out some blankets and pillows.

“Guys? I only need one blanket you know?” Alex shouted from inside the living room.

“Ah,” Lafayette pretended to look offended as he turned his head around the corner of the hallway, “But what about us? Don’t think we’re leaving you just yet.”

“Yeah Alex, we’re staying right here to make sure you sleep through the whole day,” Hercules said from the end of the hallway.

 

The last thing Alex felt before falling asleep was a blanket carefully being draped over him, and the sound of his friends collapsing onto the floor next to him.

***

When Alexander woke up, Lafayette was asleep on Hercules’ lap, who was seemingly dozing off while twirling the French boy’s hair in his fingers. It was rare to see Lafayette so calm, usually his energy could last for days. Then again, he was asleep. Alex yawned.

 

“Herc, are you awake?”

“Yeah. What time is it?” Hercules turned slightly, so he was half faced towards Alexander, careful not to wake Lafayette.

“5:30. Did you guys go grocery shopping yet?” Alexander asked.

“No, but we could go now. I’m starving.” Hercules started to get up, and he lifted Lafayette up bridal style. “We should leave him here.”

“Okay, I’ll write a note for if he wakes up.” He got up from the couch and started getting ready.

 Hercules carefully placed Lafayette on the couch. He was dreaming, muttering something in French. “Hercules,” He perked up at the sound of his name, turning back to the couch where his French friend was sleeping, “Ma souris mignonne.” Alexander snorted from in the kitchen.

 “What did he say?” Hercules asked him curiously.

“I think he called you-” Alex stifled a laugh, “His cute mouse.”

 Hercules turned away from Alex and looked at a sleeping Lafayette. He couldn’t help the grin that was sliding onto his face. He didn’t see it, but Alex was aggressively wiggling his eyebrows behind his back.

 “So, Mouse, are we leaving yet?”

“Oh, _shut up_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY a longer chapter!! (Are we gonna see some Herc/Laf action?? Maybe ;) Probably ;D) Tell me if you like this in the comments or talk to me on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com
> 
> Also thanks for all the love on the previous chapters :')


	4. Groceries and Donuts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You asked for Herc/Laf action, so I'm definitely taking it into account and writing it in, my lovely readers ;D

The walk to the store was quick and uneventful. Alexander and Hercules were listing the things they were going to buy in the store, when they heard the familiar sound of Herc’s ringtone.

 

“Hello? Oh, hey Laf.”

“...”

“Oh my god, of course you’d ask that.”

“...”

“Fine. But only because you said please.”

“...”

Alex had no idea what Lafayette just said, but Hercules turned about as red as a tomato. He quickly stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

 

“What’d he want?” Alexander looked at Hercules, who was still very much blushing.

“He asked us to get him donuts,” answered Hercules, without looking at Alex.

“Just that?” Alex asked, smirking.

“Y-Yeah,” Hercules stuttered in response.

Alex studied Hercules for a few more seconds before shrugging. “Whatever, man.”

 

***

 

The grocery store was busy, especially for a Saturday afternoon. Middle-aged moms were covering the floor like ants. Some kids were apparently racing with shopping carts. The staff had mysteriously disappeared. Despite the swarm of people, Herc and Alex found the things they needed almost immediately. They made their way to one of the cashiers. After paying, they were on their way to the donut shop. About two minutes after leaving the grocery store, Herc’s attention was drawn to something on the other side of the street. Some girls, who seemed to be arguing about something. One of them looked very unhappy, to say the least.

 

“Come on Peggy, just admit that you’re a girl and we’ll leave you alone,” the tallest girl in the group said.

“What’s wrong with you? I am _not_ a girl.” Peggy’s voice was loud and confident, but there were tears brimming in their eyes.

“Freak,” whispered the other girl to her friend. Peggy looked like they were going to explode.

 

So did Alex. If Herc hadn’t stopped him, he’d probably have punched one of those girls square in the face. Hercules, on the other hand, was much more collected. But he was also angry. And big.

 

“Leave them alone.” Herc startled the girls with his sudden appearance, and if looks could kill, well, they wouldn’t be standing there. They quickly fled the scene. Alexander looked like an angry toddler. They turned their attention back to Peggy.

 

“Thanks-” they seemed to calm down a little, “Those girls have been bugging me all week.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Hercules waved his hand around, “Peggy, right? I’m Hercules, and this is Alex.”

“You know, I was about to lose it and literally punch those girls,” Alex proclaimed, his cheeks still red from anger. Peggy smiled, looking amused.

“So was I.”

Hercules’ face lit up. “Hey, you should come get donuts with us,” he practically yelled.

Peggy smiled again. “Sure, I’d love to.”

 

***

 

After they were done focusing on which donuts to buy, Alex, Herc and Peggy sat down in a booth next to the window. The store was nice, not too big, but comfortable. It felt like a place you could unwind or forget about reality for a while. The walls were a nice pastel shade of blue. Alex could feel his shoulders relax the moment he walked in there. This was definitely his happy place. In contrast to the grocery store, the donut shop wasn’t crowded at all. There was an older man sitting by himself, reading a newspaper while taking sips of his coffee. A young kid and his mom were picking out donuts. _I envy him,_ Alex thought with a slight smile. _The only thing he’s worrying about is which donut tastes the best._

 

“So,” Hercules grabbed another donut, “Tell us about yourself.”

Peggy looked cheerful. That’s not what Alex usually looked like when someone asked him that question.

 

“Oh, well I have two sisters. Everyone used to call us the Schuyler sisters, but nobody really does anymore, for obvious reasons,” They pointed to themselves, “Angelica’s the oldest. She’s also the smartest and the wittiest and could probably get away with murder easily. Eliza’s a true cinnamon roll, too pure for this world. She could actually kill you with her mom voice, though. And I’m Peggy,” They laughed, “I’m the youngest out of us three, but I’m definitely the funniest. Ask anyone we know. They’ll tell you it’s true. That may or may not be because I’m blackmailing them though.” All three of them laughed, though Hercules wasn’t sure if Peggy was completely joking, judging by the mischievous glint in their eyes.

 

Alexander noticed that they talked a lot. It wasn’t like his talking though, where he’d just ramble about anything, or jump from topic to topic. Peggy’s conversation was graceful, like a dove, whose wings were cutting through the air. He wondered if they could teach him how to speak like that. Of course, it was a different story when Alex was in a debate. When Alex got passionate, his words were also known to cut through the air. Not like a dove, though. More like a hurricane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE BOYS MET PEGGY (well Laf didn't yet, but I have a feeling he'd love them) 
> 
> I actually wrote like half of this chapter and then deleted it and started over whoops. Give me feedback and tell my what you think in the comments, or if you wanna scream at/with me on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com
> 
> P.S: I AM SO HERE FOR PEGGY BLACKMAILING PEOPLE LMAO OK BYE


	5. Spaced Out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

After the donuts, Peggy, Alex and Herc exchanged numbers and went their separate ways. Alex and Herc arrived back at the apartment with a total of three donuts for Lafayette. When they walked in, he was watching some sort of British cooking show. Alexander had gotten powdered sugar all over his clothes, so he decided to change. Hercules carried the box of donuts over to Laf and sat down on the couch next to him.

 

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself.”

 

And without another word, Lafayette rested his head on Hercules’ lap, who seemed determined not to let on how flustered he really was. It wasn’t working very well. For the second time that day, Hercules found himself mindlessly twirling Lafayette’s curly hair around his fingers. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours and yet ended way too soon, content with each other’s presence.

 

When Alex walked in, he groaned. Not just a little either, a full, overly dramatic groan.

“Oh my god guys, get a room.”

 

Hercules let out a low chuckle, which made Lafayette’s heart flutter. It was doing that a lot recently. Not that he was going to admit that. But, god damn, did Hercules have a nice laugh. And nice eyes. And his lips-

“Uhh Laf? You okay?” Hercules looked worried, and soft like a teddy bear, which didn’t help Lafayette very much.

“Huh? Oh! Oui, I am well, I just, how you say?” Lafayette tried to get his point across by gesturing wildly with his hands.

“Spaced out?” Hercules chuckled again. _His laugh will be the death of me._

 

“Oui, that’s it.” Laf was grinning sheepishly at Herc and he could faintly hear Alex groan behind him again, but that didn’t matter because all he could think about were Hercules’ eyes and- _Wait did his eyes just dart over my lips?_ He must have spaced out again though, because the next thing he knew, Herc’s hands were in his hair and he was kissing him like there was no tomorrow. When they finally pulled apart, Hercules’ eyes softened again and he was saying something about how he didn’t know why he did that and he should have asked first and it was not okay. When Lafayette realized he was apologizing, his eyes widened because all he wanted was for Hercules to _shut up_ and kiss him again. So he kissed him again. Hercules stumbled backwards before returning the kiss because Lafayette had practically thrown himself at him.

 

“Oh,” mumbled Hercules after they pulled away for the second time that day.

“Yeah,” replied Lafayette, grinning happily but also blushing tremendously.

“Holy fuck,” said Alex, who was acting shocked but couldn’t stop grinning at his friends.

“Okay that’s it, I’m seriously kicking you out now, I really don’t wanna know what you two are planning on doing next, so with that, I bid you adieu.” Alex was shooing the two of them off the couch and out the door, but they didn’t seem to mind at all. Once they were almost outside, Alex winked at both of them. “Have fun!” Herc and Laf had barely moved away from his doorstep, when they heard Alexander again. “Use protection!” He grinned to himself, and pulled out his phone to text Peggy.

 

 **_Hammy:_ ** You will not BELIEVE what just happened

 **_Hammy:_ ** you remember the guy i told you about, laf? (my french foster brother) well, HE AND HERCULES KISSED

 **_Pegs:_ ** WHAT!!!

 **_Pegs:_ ** Boi you better give me all the details

 **_Hammy:_ ** well first laf was LAYING IN HERC’S LAP

 **_Hammy:_ ** and then we were talking abt something and laf just kinda stared at herc and i s2g he looked SO IN LOVE

 **_Hammy:_ ** then herc snapped him out of it and then they stared at eachother some more ?? i was about to barf tbh but then HERCULES KISSED HIM AND THEN STARTED APOLOGISING LMAO

 **_Pegs:_ ** AHAHHAHAHA OHM Y GO D POOR HERC

 **_Hammy:_ ** AND THEN LAFAYETTE KISSED HIM AGAIN ASDFHGF;TFDSDVB

 **_Pegs:_ ** I’M CRYING OMG

 **_Pegs:_ ** im never gonna get over herc apoLOGISING AFTER THEIR FIRST KISS THSI IS TOO GOOD

 **_Hammy:_ ** yea let’s never let him hear the end of that

 **_Pegs:_ ** Agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY. Also, sorry this was such a short chapter frens, but you know, at least something (mildly) exciting happened!  
> Side note: I'm honestly just writing this story as I go, so bear with me please :D


	6. I Hope This Letter Finds You In Good Health

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AngeLICA, EliZA and JoHN (and Henry but whO NEEDS HIM)

John Laurens was sitting behind his laptop, surrounded by his two best friends. Angelica and Eliza were attempting to calm him down, the latter rubbing small circles into his back. Earlier that day, John had taken his computer to the Schuylers’ house, intending on finishing a last-minute project for some class he wasn’t particularly interested in. When he opened his e-mail, there was a notification on the screen.

_One (1) mail from: Henry Laurens._

  _Jack,_

_I hope this letter finds you in good health. It has come to my attention that you are currently unemployed. I want to remind you that you are still heavily indebted to me and, though we are related, I must insist that you find a way to repay me. I feel it is in both of our best interests that you get a job immediately. Remember, you have a reputation to uphold. Regards,_

_H. Laurens._

 

He couldn’t believe it. John had left his house in South Carolina eight months ago. _Yet he still has the nerve to try and decide my life for me._ His father had always wanted him to become a lawyer, or at least do some boring office job with a heavy income. Money, that was all Henry Laurens cared about, money and his reputation. With that said, he wasn’t exactly pleased when his son told him he was going to study journalism. He actually only agreed to that after John promised he’d pay him back every cent. John still wasn’t sure how he was going to manage that. _Oh well._

 

“I can’t believe this,” John said out loud.

 

Eliza frowned with sympathy. “You should let us pay him a small amount. Maybe that will shut him up for a while. Besides, we’ve got enough money to pay him back entirely, and I’m sure dad won’t mind.”

John turned so he could look at both Eliza and Angelica. “What- ‘Liza, no. No offense, but that’s the worst plan I’ve ever heard in my life. You can’t just go around spending thousands of dollars like that! I know you love me, but I can’t let you do that. It’s fine, I’ll just get a job to humor him.”

Angelica looked up at John. “You should call Peggy, they love job-hunting. I think they’ve already had nine jobs since we came here.” She turned to Eliza. “Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re good at it, so take Eliza with you just to be sure.”

John was now facing Eliza. “That okay with you ‘Liza?” Eliza practically squealed. “Of course, John! This is gonna be so much fun! We’re gonna find the perfect job for you, don’t worry!”

Angelica smiled. “Good. Now that that’s settled, I’m meeting someone for work in-” She checked her watch. “Shit! Three minutes! I gotta go guys, have fun looking for a job.” She quickly put on her coat and raced out the door, leaving Eliza and John behind in the cozy apartment. Eliza immediately switched on her laptop to research jobs in the area. John tried to work on his project for school, but his mind kept wandering to his father’s words.

 

_“Remember, you have a reputation to uphold.”_

 

Yeah. His father’s reputation. The ‘Laurens family name’ or whatever. _Fuck that, man._

 

After two hours of kind-of-but-not-really working, John felt like punching something. “Hey ‘Liza, I’m going for a walk, you wanna come with me?” She must have seen the tired look in his eyes, it’s not like he was hiding it, and Eliza was just observant like that. “Yeah, sure. Where do you wanna go?”

“I was thinking the coffee shop- You know, the one next to the library?” Eliza grinned. “Oh yeah, I go there all the time.” She smiled to herself as if she just found her favorite childhood book. John wasn't nearly as observant as Eliza, but even he could see the way her whole face lit up.  _Damn, is the coffee really that good?_ John wondered to himself. He’d have to ask her about that. Later. After he had his coffee.

  
“Shall we?” John held out his arm for Eliza. She stuck her own arm in between, so they were linked together. “We shall,” she responded . The memory of Henry Laurens was placed far in the back of John’s mind as he descended happily down the stairs, doubling over from laughter with one of his best friends. Eliza seemed to be in the best mood because of the coffee shop. _I wonder what’s so great about that place,_ John thought again. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Eliza when they got there. After all, if there was anything there he could tease her with… Well, he wasn’t throwing away his shot, that’s for sure. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay it ended on a happy note! Also, terrible song references! Tell me what you think please, I thrive off of comments. Or come scream at/with me on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com


	7. Helpless

By the time they got to the coffee shop, Eliza and John were out of breath, though that was most likely because they were laughing the entire trip. Eliza had to hang on to John’s shoulders just to keep from falling over. They took a minute to settle themselves before entering the café together. John made an effort to check the place out first, but Eliza dragged him over to the front before he had the chance. John was about to ask why she was in such a hurry, when he looked up behind the counter. _Oh._ He could barely suppress a grin when he stared at the girl in front of him. She had a flower crown on which matched the café’s logo, and she was wearing a red shirt with her name tag on it. _Maria Reynolds._ The girl wasn’t paying him much attention- she and Eliza were excitedly chatting about something John didn’t know anything about. John knew Eliza better than most, so he of all people easily noticed the subtle blush on her cheeks, the way she nervously tucked strands of her hair behind her ears, how the edges of her lips curved upwards every time Maria spoke. John couldn’t help it- he was really grinning now.

When she looked up at John, Eliza’s subtle blush became a deep shade of red. She playfully punched John in his arm.

“What are you so happy about?” Eliza inquired, still furiously blushing. She really couldn’t help it.

“Nothing, nothing,” John laughed, rubbing his arm.

 

Maria shot him a puzzled look, then turned to look at Eliza. “Is this your boyfriend?” Her voice was slow, almost sad.

John couldn’t help but snort. “Trust me, um- Maria? I’m extremely gay, and so is Eliza here, I might add.” He gave Eliza’s hand the slightest squeeze at that last sentence. Maria seemed to perk up simultaneously. After a bit of an awkward silence, but not necessarily in a bad way, Maria finally spoke.

“So are you guys here to order something or…” she trailed off.

 They ordered their drinks and sat down in a deserted corner. Coincidentally, John realized, they could see the counter perfectly from there. More importantly, they could see behind the counter perfectly. John turned to Eliza with a grin so big it could be seen from space.

 

“So.”

“So?”

“The girl!” John couldn’t help it, he was bursting with excitement.

Eliza looked a bit like a deer in the headlights. “Boy, I will hit you- she’s right there! Be quiet you oaf!”

 

John looked apologetic, and Eliza allowed herself to daydream a little. She smiled as her eyes wandered back to Maria, who had her back turned to them and seemed to be writing something. Probably a customer’s name. Next to Eliza, John started laughing again. A quiet chuckle, with something of sympathy in his voice. That sympathy quickly turned to mischief when he noticed Eliza’s eyes drifting from the back of Maria’s head down to her-

 “Ohh, you’ve got it bad!” John always enjoyed teasing Eliza. Normally she was always composed, which was frustrating in itself, so it was a unique and treasured experience to see her flustered. At least, to John and Peggy it was.

“Shut up,” she whispered, burying her face in John’s coat when Maria’s eyes caught her gaze.

John turned to face her. “You should go talk to her. Tell her she’s cute.”

Eliza made a slightly offended noise. “What?”

John shrugged. “If she’s not into girls, she’ll probably tell you,” He took a sip of his drink, “Though I don’t think that’s the case.” An amused smirk played on his lips as he winked at something- _or someone,_ Eliza thought, behind her.

 

 She was about to turn around when she heard a familiar voice. “One Red Kiss Frappuccino for Eliza?”

John smiled encouragingly at Eliza, and she quickly responded, “But we didn’t order any-”

“It’s on the house.” Maria smiled warmly, and John pretended to miss the tiny wink she gave Eliza. Eliza, however, was turning an even darker shade of red than before. She barely uttered a small ‘thank you’ before Maria stormed off into the kitchen.

 

John was the first to notice the small post-it note stuck to the side of the cup. He cleared his throat.

“Hey, ‘Liza?” Eliza looked up at him. “Looks like you got a phone number.”

 

John’s cheeks were sore from smiling so damn much.

 ***

 Eliza unfolded the small piece of paper in her hand. Maria’s number, in small, messy handwriting, followed by two words: _Text me._ She sighed, then dropped backwards onto her bed. Of course, Eliza had already saved Maria’s number in her phone, she just needed some motivation, and John had already headed home.

 

**‘Liza:** JOHN

**Turtle Boi:** Yeah?

**‘Liza:** HELP ME

**‘Liza:** WHAT DO I TEXT MARIA

**Turtle Boi:** Smh

**Turtle Boi:** How about “hey”, you know, likE A NORMAL PERSON

**‘Liza:** ugh……….fine

**Turtle Boi:** TELL ME HOW IT GOES

**‘Liza:** pssshh sure, dad :)

**Turtle Boi:** FIGHT ME ELIZA

 

By the time Eliza texted Maria, it was almost dark out.

  **‘Liza:** Hey Maria! It’s me, Eliza :D

 Eliza checked her phone every thirty seconds, but she still jumped when her phone dinged with a new message.

  **Mar-hiya:** Hey girl! How are you?

**‘Liza:** I’m good, you?

**Mar-hiya:** Great, now that I’m talking to you ;)

 Eliza was freaking out. _Oh my God, calm down,_ she told herself, _it’s just a winky face._

  **'Liza:** Oh, before I forget, thanks for that drink earlier today! You really didn’t have to do that you know

**Mar-hiya:** Oh but I did! How else was I gonna muster up the courage to talk to you? You’re literally breath-taking, so it’s much easier if all I gotta do is my job. I’m pretty good at doing my job, especially when it involves cute girls ;)

  _Jesus. Breath-taking and cute in the same text?_ Eliza could feel her face heating up again. She let out a nervous sort of half-giggle, and if anyone heard her, they didn’t let on. She took a deep breath.

  **‘Liza:** Well, Idk I think you’re pretty cute too ;)

**‘Liza:** Wanna go on a date tomorrow?

 It took Eliza some real effort not to bang her head on a table after that one. _Wanna go on a date tomorrow? Who even says that?_

  **Mar-hiya:** Sure! Did you have anything in mind?

**Mar-hiya:** My shift ends at 5 so we can meet at the café if you want

**‘Liza:** Yeah, great! We could go to my apartment afterwards, watch some movies?

**Mar-hiya:**...Netflix  & Chill?? ;)))

 Eliza snorted, then quickly brought a hand to her mouth.

  **‘Liza:** I mean, I wasn’t gonna SAY it but… ;))))

**Mar-hiya:** So it’s a date?

**‘Liza:** I sure hope so

**Mar-hiya:** Oh it’s up to me is it? Well, I say yes. Yes it is.

**‘Liza:** Awesome. Bye Maria ;)

**Mar-hiya:** See you tomorrow!! ;)

**‘Liza:** Can’t wait!

**Mar-hiya:** <3

 

Eliza almost dropped her phone.

 

**‘Liza:** <3

 ***

  **‘Liza:** JOHN

**Turtle Boi:** ELIZA

**‘Liza:** I HAVE A DATE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah, a longer chapter! What do you guys think about 'Liza and Maria?? Let me know in the comments or if you wanna scream at/with me on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com


	8. Take a [Break] [Walk]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Alex was an extremely passionate person. He was always more than willing to debate, and stand up for what he believed in. On top of that, he was a hard worker, and every time he started writing, Laf and Herc wondered to themselves if he’d ever stop. Today was one of those days. 

Alexander was writing an essay that wasn’t due for another three weeks. He took a break once, though it was just to get another coffee and, after a moment of consideration, dumping an entire can of Red Bull into it. Herc and Laf were hanging around his apartment, making out and occasionally aiming worried glances at Alex. 

 

“Alex.” No response.

“Alex!” Nothing, just the sound of fingers tapping away at a keyboard.

“Petit lion!”

Alexander’s head whipped around towards Laf, who was sitting on the kitchen counter with his boyfriend.

“What?” asked Alex, though it sounded more exhausted than hostile. He despised how his voice could give away how tired he really was, but Lafayette just laughed.

“Mon ami, you need to eat something. Let’s go to get Chinese food or something!”

“Laf, can’t you see I’m working? I don’t have time to eat!” Lafayette sighed and pleadingly looked at Alex, but he already turned back to his screen. He furrowed his brows, already completely focussing on his writing again.  Hercules coughed, then got up from the counter and moved in front of the couch where Alex was sitting. He quickly closed the computer and crossed his arms. Alex opened his mouth like he was about to say something, when his stomach growled. Lafayette almost fell off the counter from laughter, after which Alex tried to hide a smile and grudgingly mumbled a small “Fine.” Laf texted Peggy, who had now become a part of the group, but they said they were going shopping with their sisters. 

 

Alex pretended to hold a grudge, but really he was sort of relieved to get out and do something other than work for a change. Besides, it was making his friends happy and less worried about him. Though, he supposed, Lafayette, for one, would never stop worrying about him.

 

“Come on, mon petit lion, let’s go!” Laf grinned at him. Alex groaned. 

“Come on Laf, why are you using that nickname again? It doesn’t even make any sense!”

Lafayette pretended to pout dramatically. “Alexander, of course it does! You are tiny but, ah, how you say? Fierce, like a lion!” He and Hercules laughed. “Besides,” he added with a smirk, “When you don’t brush your hair, you kind of look like a lion too, non?” Even Alex had to laugh at that a little.

 

***

 

John was walking. At this point, he didn’t even know where he was going, he was just… going. He had been scouring the streets of New York for a job, but couldn’t find anything. Peggy and Eliza had gone to the mall with Angelica. Eliza had written him an unnecessarily long text about how she couldn’t help him today and promising she’d be there tomorrow. John chuckled to himself. Eliza cared about him. She cared about everyone. She was someone you could trust. The three Schuyler siblings had that in common. Once they trusted you, you could trust them with anything. All in their own ways. 

 

Angelica would go after anyone if they ever hurt you, she was a justice-seeker, and nothing ever scared her. Her eyes could bore through you, and she always seemed to know when John was hiding something. Angelica was responsible and she never cracked under pressure.

Eliza was soft, a shoulder to cry on. She always listened to everyone’s problems. Her optimism always made John smile after something bad happened. Eliza always knew just what to say to make you feel better. She cared for everyone, and she always knew what was best for John even when he didn’t.

Peggy was reckless, but they held knowledge beyond their years. They were never afraid to state the truth, no matter how blunt or rude it sounded. Peggy was the kind of friend who would help you hide a body. They always spoke their mind, and at times, they were hated for it. A good friend nonetheless. 

  
John didn’t know when it had started to rain, but judging by the dark clouds and low rumbles in the air, it was about to get a whole lot worse. On top of that, he hadn’t been paying attention to where he was going. His feet had guided him through the city.  _ Great. _ He looked around, eyes squinting and then widening when he realized where he ended up. A grin spread across his face as he took in the giant, dome-shaped building in front of him. The familiar flag outside the reception area filled him with nostalgia, which was strange, considering he had been here for the last time a month ago at most. In fact, he spent so much time there that they named one of the turtles after him. Lil John was now two months old, if he remembered correctly. John’s grin spread even wider when his eyes darted up towards the giant neon letters that read “Marine Protection Dome New York”, though he and everyone else in New York just called it the Aquarium. He could go in there and hide from the rain, while also enjoying the company of Ben, the oldest turtle in the place. Two birds with one stone. As he quickly moved closer to shelter himself from the oncoming storm, he noticed a small sign hanging in front of one of the windows. He couldn’t believe his luck when he read the two words written on it in boring, neat handwriting. NOW HIRING.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of dialogue in the second half, I'll make it up to you next time? Maybe? Possibly? Anyway...  
> Hope you enjoyed! If you wanna scream at/with me on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com


	9. Paciencia y Fe

“What about this one?” Eliza held up a short summer dress, with horizontal yellow stripes. Angelica furrowed her brow while staring intently at the dress. Peggy gave it a quick once-over before turning their attention to some shelves in the back of the store.

“A dress? Aren’t you just gonna watch movies in the apartment?”

Eliza sighed, and was about to reply when Peggy ran towards them with something behind their back. “Look what I found!” They proudly and with a huge grin presented the item in their hands. Angelica’s nose scrunched up immediately when she saw the blue dress in front of her. Eliza stared at it blankly for a second, before doubling over with laughter. “That,” she said, still out of breath, “Is the most atrocious dress I have ever laid eyes on.” Peggy blinked. “Don’t you mean jress?” Angelica was still staring at the jean dress, with a look of disgust in her eyes. “Peggy, could you please put that thing back where you found it?” Peggy laughed, and wandered away to the back of the store. “Now,” said Angelica, turning back to her sister, “Time to find you some clothes.”

 

During the Schuylers’ little shopping trip, John found himself staring at the walls of the office where he’d been told to wait. They were light blue, and matched the aesthetic of the Aquarium. He sat in a comfortable black chair, and waited. John was nervous. He had been here quite a lot since moving to New York, but never in this office. He wondered how Ben was doing. Just as he diverted his attention to the small aquarium in the back of the room, the door opened behind him.

The lady in front of him made her way to a seat behind what John presumed to be her desk. “Hi! You must be John Laurens. I’m Abigail Adams, but please, call me Abby. I’ll be interviewing you, since Mrs. Washington is on vacation right now. She runs this place.” John nodded and quietly but politely muttered out a ‘hello’. He had seen Martha Washington wandering around the Aquarium, chatting with the staff. She seemed like a nice woman. “So,” Abigail stared at him with a challenging look in her eyes, “Tell me. Why do you think you should have this job?” John took a deep breath. He could do this. “Well, I’m here almost every week, so I already know most of the staff, and I love the animals here. The turtles are my favorite,” he added with a soft smile on his face. Abigail quickly jotted something down. “I know a lot about sea creatures because I take Marine Biology in school.” He continued listing off some reasons, while Abby nodded and took notes. She looked back up just as he finished talking and smiled. “Congratulations John, you’re as good as hired!”

 

Lunch came around, and while John celebrated his new job at the Schuylers’ apartment, Alex and his friends were getting take-out at their favorite Chinese food place. Herc wanted to stay and eat, but Alex insisted on eating at home. Eventually, Laf just shrugged and decided to order take-out. Since Hercules was the only one of them who had a car, and Lafayette was his boyfriend (apparently that gave him front seat rights. Alex didn’t understand), Alex was stuck in the back seat. He hovered in between his friends, all three of them in a heated debate about whether being an asshole could be inherited or not.

On the way back, Herc and Laf decided they would be sleeping over at Alex’s apartment. Naturally, he didn’t bother protesting. He was honestly kind of relieved, at least now he had a reason to actually go to sleep. Of course, Alex wasn’t gonna tell them that.

Back at the apartment, Alex scarfed down his food quicker than his friends thought was possible. He tried to enjoy his food, he really did, but his mind kept wandering back to his work. Once he finished eating, he opened up his laptop and made sure to clack the keyboard as loud as he could, just to annoy his friends. A strange feeling of contentedness rushed over Alex when he heard Lafayette mutter out a defeated sigh, and Hercules whispering sweet nothings in his ear while ushering him to bed. Alex’s rapid pace halted as he thought of the most fitting way to write his next sentence. Herc turned around one last time,  taking in Alexander’s tired shape, before clearing his throat.

“Hey Alex?”

A muffled sound that seemed like a cross between a sigh and a grunt came from the couch.

“Go to bed, alright? Please, we’re worried about you, man.”

Alex looked up and jokingly saluted Herc, who seemed to think for a moment before flashing a smile and saluting back.

 

***

 

Alex woke up on the same couch he was working on a few hours before, face pressed into his now-dead laptop. He was shaken from his sleep by Lafayette’s endlessly energized voice, practically shouting a mere eight inches away from him. It took Alex a moment to fully understand what he was saying.

“Good morning, mon ami! Herc and I were talking yesterday and agreed that when your tests are over, we should go to the Aquarium together! Your last test is on monday, non?”

Alex, still a bit slow from having just woken up, nodded his head. “But, Laf-”

“C’est genial!” Laf cut him off, “Oh and Alex? Resistance is futile, as they say.” He turned to Hercules, who gave him a reassuring smile. When Laf turned back around, Alex swore he was beaming. It was much too bright this early in the morning. Then again, everything was too bright for Alex right now. “Okay,” was all he could bring himself to say before he passed out on the couch again.

 

Lafayette, after making sure Alex was still alive, turned to Hercules grinning.

“Look at our son,” he said theatrically, motioning to the sleeping kid with an overly dramatic swing of his arm. Hercules took his hand, which was still hanging in the air, and giggled, and Laf’s grin became even wider, if it was possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note the not-so-subtle In The Heights reference in the title, which is me telling you guys that the Lams is starting soon!! This chapter took a bit longer because I've been doing a theater summer course and haven't had much time to write, but I still hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Also, 125 Kudos, *TJeffs voice* whaaat?? That's crazy, you guys are the best <3  
> Leave me comments, I honestly love hearing your opinions :D
> 
> Come scream at/with me on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com


	10. The Washingtons (+1) Are Coming Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: *needs 10 chapters for the introductions and to get the plot moving*
> 
> Sorry guys lmao

Lafayette, Alex and Peggy were piled up in a car on their way to the airport. It was saturday, and Alex’s last test was on monday, so Lafayette convinced him to actually take a break. The boys’ foster parents, George and Martha, were finally coming home from their vacation in Virginia. Laf could barely contain his excitement, and gave Alex a pointed glare when he told George’s personal driver to stop at a coffee shop down the road. Peggy just shrugged and asked for an iced coffee. Truthfully, they had no idea why they were there, but they didn’t have anything better to do anyway. Eliza and Angelica were at a family gathering, and Peggy did not have the energy to inevitably get bombarded with questions and remarks regarding their gender again. Not tonight. Anyway, it was 6:45 PM, and Lafayette was still giddy with excitement.

 

They had to wait about 10 minutes in the airport hall before George and Martha came outside. Laf squealed and ran up to them both, shouting in rapid French, Alex following close behind. The French boy practically jumped in George’s arms and  almost crushed Martha to death. Alexander was smiling brightly and Peggy hesitantly corrected Martha after she said, “And who could this lovely girl be?” Martha quickly apologized and it was impossible not to forgive her. Alex was speaking animatedly about his tests when George raised his eyebrows. “Oh- Alex, Gilbert, I’d like you to meet someone. He’s an old friend of mine, and about your age. He traveled all the way from Virginia to attend King’s College.” He trained his eyes on Alexander and half whispered, “Try not to punch him yet, okay?” Alex frowned.

 

A tall man walked up to them from behind Martha. The man was dressed in a ridiculously expensive looking suit that must have had at least twenty different shades of purple. He placed a hand on Martha’s shoulder, startling her, and looked up at them with a look that Alex could only describe as ‘smug and manipulative but still oddly charming, kind of like a shark’. The man cocked his head to the side and smiled brightly. “What’d I miss?”

 

Eliza could feel her stomach churning. She was pretty sure the bored-looking Uber driver next to her could hear her heart beating. Hell, she was pretty sure her heart was going to physically jump out of her throat any second now. If she was at her apartment, she’d have just walked to the coffee shop, but she was at her father’s house after a family gathering. It went pretty well, by Eliza’s standards. Only one of her distant aunts asked her about a boyfriend, and she didn’t even react negatively towards hearing that Eliza was going on a date with a girl. One of her cousins actively avoided her after that though. _Oh well, it could be worse._ She sighed, remembering the time Peggy told the whole family about their gender. That didn’t end well. Philip Schuyler had taken it quite well and was still doing his best to understand. If it wasn’t for Angelica though, Peggy would probably either have run away crying or fought anyone who dared say anything negative that night. Most likely the latter.

 

Eliza sighed again, feeling a little lightheaded and a lot nervous as she saw the coffee shop sign hanging in the distance. Much to her surprise, Maria was standing under that sign, switching between fiddling with her phone and taking in her surroundings. Eliza smiled at the Uber driver as he pulled up close to the place Maria was waiting. Eliza took a shaky breath and steadied her hands. She could do this. _Right?_

 

***

 

John could not do this. It was his first day of work and he already wanted to fight one of his coworkers. Seriously though, the man, Charles Lee, was an asshole. He took breaks every half hour, picked on some really nice kids and smoked on the job. John was certain he’d even seen him blow smoke from his cigarette into the seal enclosure when he thought no one was looking. It was unbelievable. He managed to contain his anger completely. For now. He started turning away from the man, who seemed to be- _Yep, he’s taking another break._ He turned around and was greeted by the sight of eleven curious looking kids, the oldest one being about eight, and the youngest around four, John guessed. His face immediately brightened when one of the girls walked up to him, smiling shyly. “Hey there,” he started, “What’s your name?”

 

She looked up at him and responded quietly, “Frances.” Her eyes drifted away from John, taking in all of the marine wildlife surrounding them. Her gaze lingered on the animals behind John, the turtles. John’s eyes widened and he asked the little girl, “Do you want me to tell you some cool things about those turtles?” She looked up at him with wide eyes and nodded. John quickly burst into an extremely detailed explanation about turtle shells and eggs, motioning his hands around and often pointing at the animals behind them. Pretty soon, ten more curious pairs of kids’ eyes were on him, and after that, some more people joined in. John got an idea and grabbed his bag from the bench next to them. He took his sketchbook out and showed the crowd one of his pencil drawings of a soft-shelled turtle. The children giggled uncontrollably and John mocked offense saying, “Hey, they’re supposed to look weird!”

At the end of the day, John had completely forgotten about Lee, as he started walking back home to his apartment. _I’m gonna like this job._ Scratch that, he already did.

 

Angelica was hauling ass to the library downtown for a meeting. Well, it wasn’t exactly a meeting, but her partner had called her and said it was urgent. They had their meetings at the library often, and it was the only place Angelica knew of that would be open and not very crowded at this hour. She got to their usual spot, a small booth in the left hall, and waited. It was empty, except for the librarian, a dark-skinned man who was seemingly reading something. She was lost in thought for a while before someone cleared their throat next to her.

 

“Madison, you’re here! What’s this about?” The man, James Madison, sat down in front of her. He coughed again.

“It’s Seabury, the ‘King’s Journal’ editor? He had a meeting today with Adams, you know, our boss?” Angelica rolled her eyes. She heavily disliked Adams, and James knew it. The man denied most of her articles, claiming them to be too opinionated, when they were really just about important issues like Black Lives Matter. Okay, so she may have gone overboard with the wording on some of her stories. Whatever. On the rare occasion that he did allow one of her articles to be sent to Seabury for publishing, it was almost always met with a complaint from the editor himself. Personally, Angelica thought the whole newspaper was outdated, overly white and corrupt, but who was she to talk? She was just another college student who needed a job, in their eyes. Angelica longed for the day when she could start her own career with Madison as freelance writers for better and less corrupt news organizations. She signaled for James to continue.

“He wants us to stop writing for King’s. So, uh, in other words, he basically fired us.” Angelica stared at him, shock and disbelief evident in her eyes. James was nervously wringing his hands together, waiting for a reaction. Just as Angelica was about to explode with anger, the librarian walked up next to them, greeting them both with a curt nod.

 

“Good evening, my name is Aaron Burr.” It sounded rehearsed, which was not a good sign, in Angelica’s opinion. Burr looked at her and Madison with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I couldn’t help but overhear about your dilemma. Good acoustics,” He motioned to their surroundings and chuckled, but again, it didn’t sound sincere. “I might be able to help.” Angelica’s eyebrows shot up at that. Burr pretended he didn’t notice.

“We can meet up later this week, and you simply must meet my business partner, Thomas-”

“Jefferson?” asked Madison, in a hopeful voice. Angelica’s eyebrows rose even higher. Burr’s expression remained the same.

“As a matter of fact, yes. I suppose you know him? Either way, the library’s about to close and I should start getting ready to leave, but call me if you want my help.” He handed both of them white business cards, with nothing written on them but _Aaron Burr_ followed by a number in cursive font. Angelica left shortly after Madison did, leaving Burr alone, storing his stuff and smiling softly (and genuinely this time)  as he opened a text message. _Finally,_ he thought to himself, _my waiting might have paid off._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) heyo it's everyone's least favorite macaroni fucker  
> 2) GAY also cute date scene in the next one, i promise  
> 3) John the turtle boi  
> 4) Aaron Burr, sir (i wonder WHO he could be texting?????lmao)
> 
> Next chapter: Maria & Eliza go on a date!! There's more but that's the most important thing imo (or is it??)
> 
> If you leave me comments i would die for u. Or come scream at/with me on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com
> 
> btw i have no idea how newspapers work, forgive me


	11. In the Place to Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...finally (feat. some Google Translated French)

“Bonsoir, my name is Thomas Jefferson.” Jefferson flashed them all a smile. His voice had a Southern drawl to it mixed with a French accent, but Alex couldn’t help noticing how forced the accent sounded. The man was about as tall as Lafayette, with ridiculously large hair.  _ Everything about him is ridiculous. His hair, his clothes, his voice…  _ Jefferson turned his attention to Laf. 

“You must be Marquis de Lafayette, the French one, non? Believe it or not, I actually lived in France for a few years! Wonderful people, and wonderful wine!” He chuckled. Laf didn’t find any reason to dislike him, save for that stupid fake accent. He then turned to look at Peggy.

“Who’s this lovely lady?” Peggy stared him in the face and responded, “I’m not a girl.” They then shook Jefferson’s hand. “The name’s Peggy Schuyler, and I’m non-binary. They/them pronouns. Problem?” Jefferson looked astonished and squinted his eyes for half a second, then seemed to recover and shook his head. And then he turned on the heels of his shoes, pointing a finger at Alex.

“Alexander Hamilton. I’ve heard all about your tragic backstory. I pity you, you know.” He said that last sentence as if it was a great honour. It annoyed Alex to no end. “I don’t need your pity,” he grumbled, and Jefferson chuckled again. “I was wondering why the Washingtons would take in an orphan immigrant like you in,” he started, “But now I see that you must’ve reminded them of  _ moi _ ,” he spat, grinning as if he had just made the funniest joke in the world. “We’ve got the same kind of fire.”

“I’m nothing like you,” spat Alex, just before Martha pointedly moved in between Jefferson and him. “Thomas, why don’t we send you on your way. It’s been a long flight, you must be tired. I know I am.” 

“Oh but-”

“George has already called a cab for you.” Martha’s voice was calm, but stern and demanding at the same time. Thomas stared at her blankly before breaking into a smile. 

“Of course, Martha. I’ll be seeing you and George around then,” he looked at George, who was wearing a stoic but tense expression. He turned to the other three. He only nodded at Peggy, though none of them were surprised. Peggy was terrifying. 

“Lafayette, je suis sûr que nous allons devenir de bons amis.” Laf smiled at him, more out of habit than anything else. He didn’t really like the guy, or his love for the French accent,  but found no reason to hate him. Alex on the other hand… 

“Hamilton. I’ll see you around. Maybe in debate club, I’m definitely joining.” Jefferson had already turned around when Alex shouted, “No the fuck you aren’t!” It took Laf, Peggy, George, Martha and the promise of Martha’s blueberry pancakes to calm him down.

 

Eliza walked over to Maria, eyes trained on the ground. She wasn’t aware of just how fast she was walking, because before she knew it she ran into the girl in question. What came next was a string of apologies and giggles, and Maria felt her heart flutter at the sound of Eliza’s voice.

“So, um, we should probably head over to my apartment. No one’s home, so we should be able to have our date in relative peace.” Maria giggled, and this time it was Eliza’s turn to get butterflies. As they started walking, she glanced over at the girl next to her from time to time. They were drifting closer together, until their arms were touching with every step they took,  _ because of the cold _ , Eliza told herself. And if one of them noticed that their touches were a little too long to be accidental, well, none of them were gonna point it out.

 

Once they reached the apartment, they argued light-heartedly about which movie to watch, and ended up choosing Bee Movie, because Maria had never seen it before and thought the bees looked cute, and Eliza thought she was cute (and she also couldn’t believe that Maria had never seen Bee Movie). About halfway through the movie, Eliza ran and got a blanket, and they readjusted themselves so that Maria was cuddled into Eliza’s side. Maria watched the movie, and Eliza watched Maria. She probably should’ve at least paid a little attention, because now the movie was over and Maria was laughing about something. 

“Oh my god,” she said, wheezing, “I can’t believe, she left him… for a bee.” She burst into another round of laughter, which set Eliza off, and soon they were laughing together, both unable to stop. Eliza put on a different movie, Lilo and Stitch, and the girls settled into a comfortable silence. After a few minutes of stolen glances, Maria moved to lay down on Eliza’s lap. She tried to stay focused on the movie, but with Eliza’s hand running through her hair, it was hard to stay awake, and she closed her eyes. About halfway through the movie, Eliza suffered the same fate. 

 

When Angelica came home late that night, she was careful not to disturb the two sleeping on the couch while she turned off the tv. Peggy had shot off a quick text about spending the night at some friend’s house, so Angelica left the living room and went to sleep in her own room, but not before quickly snapping a picture of the two girls cuddling together on the couch, and sending it to both Peggy and John.

 

***

 

After what felt like weeks, monday finally arrived. Alexander made his last test, and practically sprinted to Laf’s place. He unlocked the door with a spare key and found Herc and Laf huddled together under a blanket, both of them loudly singing along to a Lion King song. Alex stood there for a second before taking out his phone and recording the two of them. Hercules took Lafayette by the hand and pulled him up off the floor, then held him up like Simba. It was great, and Alex couldn’t be happier that this was the way he was celebrating the start of his three weeks off from school. Alex tried to move past the two into his room, but Laf blocked him with a smug look on his face. He crossed his arms. “Where are you going, mon ami? I thought we agreed to go to the Aquarium. I have already told Martha we were coming,” he rambled. Alex couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Hercules stuffed a bagel into his hand and, before Alex could process what was happening, they were already on their way in Herc’s car. 

 

John’s day was off to a rough start. He’d already woken up late, had forgotten to eat, and on top of that he discovered that he didn’t charge his phone at all. When he got to work, Charles Lee was waiting for him, cigarette in hand, looking like he just ate an entire lemon. Lee caught sight of John and chewed him out about being late, but John ignored him and walked over to the turtles. He was just silently talking to one of them, when a semi-familiar face caught his eye.

“Hello there young man, you must be John Laurens. I’m Martha Washington.” The woman had kind eyes and a warm smile, and held out a hand towards John. He shook her hand. “Forgive me if I’m being rude, but would you happen to be related to Henry Laurens?” She asked the question with genuine curiosity, but John couldn’t help but feel like this was his real job interview. “Yes, I’m his son,” he replied, before quickly adding, “Unfortunately.” Martha seemed to be closely studying him. 

“You don’t seem anything like him, I’m sure you’ll do great here at the Aquarium!” Martha smiled at him brightly before heading into an office John hadn’t seen before. He was lost in thought for a while before a tugging at his leg brought him back to reality. “Mister, where’s the bathroom?”

 

Hercules accidentally parked the car in a disabled parking spot, after which Lafayette demanded for him to find a different one. So he did. After that they went inside and directly over to Martha’s office. They chatted about every topic that came to mind, and Alex poured himself a cup of coffee. And then a second and a third. He was reaching for a fourth, but Martha told the three boys she had work to do, and kicked them out (nicely). After a short trip to the gift shop and some aimless wandering, Alex found himself searching for a quiet place to write and listen to music. Herc and Laf were watching the dolphins, and Alex didn’t really feel like third-wheeling. That’s when he remembered that there was a new turtle enclosure for the young turtle babies. He put in his earphones and headed that way.

 

After a while of no one being around the turtle habitat, John took out his sketchbook and started drawing some of the otters that lived in the enclosure nearby. Turtles were his favorites, but otters always came a close second. They were fun to draw too. He was just about done when he noticed someone speed-walking towards him from the corner of his eye. 

 

Alex was originally gonna look at the turtles, but then someone else caught his eye. An employee, and the cutest boy that Alex had ever seen. There were freckles scattered all over his face and, probably, his entire body too. He racked his brain and tried to remember if he had seen the boy in front of him working here before. It didn’t matter, because he realized he was staring and that the boy was talking. To him, presumably.  _ Of course he’s talking to you, there’s no one else here.  _

 

“Are you alright?” John asked the boy in front of him.  _ He’s cute.  _

“What? Oh- yeah, I’m fine. Who are you?” That came out a bit harsher than he’d meant it to. Alex scolded himself internally. “I mean- I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before. I’m Alexander Hamilton, Martha’s foster son.” He could kick himself for being so awkward right now. Luckily the boy just smiled.

“Nice to meet you Alexander, I’m John Laurens.” 

Alex liked the way his full name sounded when John said it, though, out of habit, he still replied, “Call me Alex.” He lifted his eyes up to John’s. “Wait, Laurens? As in, Henry Laurens? Please tell me you’re not related to that dick.” 

John’s eyes fluttered over to the ground. “Yeah I am. He’s my dad.” He quickly raised his head again. “But I’m nothing like him, I swear!” 

 

Alex visibly relaxed and muttered a small, “Oh, thank God,” which made John giggle, which made Alex smile.  _ Oh no,  _ they both thought. 

 

Alex, in an attempt to make conversation, rubbed the back of his neck and said, “So, uh, turtles?” John’s eyes lit up and he looked at Alex with a questioning gaze. “I was hoping you, uh, could tell me about them?” A lie. One that made John’s heart flutter. He was about to start explaining when he remembered the sketchbook in his hands. He gestured for Alex to sit on the floor with him even though there was a bench a few steps away. Alex happily complied. John opened up his sketchbook and Alex let out a tiny gasp. John’s stomach did a weird twisty thing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dodgy French:  
> je suis sûr que nous allons devenir de bons amis: i'm sure we will become good friends
> 
> To quote myself: ...finally
> 
> edit: i just made an instagram spam account for my art it's @/art_spam2k16 if u wanna hmu


	12. Dying Inside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much fluff. Flustered Alex&John. Laf being Laf and Herc being the Squad Dad. Aaron and a Very Pretty Lady. I wonder who it could be...,.,,.

Alex hadn’t ever been this quiet for such a long time in his life. He was way too preoccupied with staring at the boy in front of him to form a single coherent thought, and all his brain could come up with right now was a raging chorus of  _ JohnJohnJohnJohnJohnJohn.  _ Alex wasn’t even really listening to John, he was just listening to the way his voice changed and how he giggled whenever Alex gasped at his drawings. Alex wasn’t sure how long they’d been sitting on the floor. Could’ve been hours. John had long since closed his sketchbook, and was now telling Alex about some endangered turtle species. Alex was never very interested in the animals, but seeing how much John loved them made him want to fight everyone who dared try and hurt them.

 

Alex looked up at John after he noticed that he’d inexplicably stopped talking. He met John’s gaze, and concluded that he’d asked a question. “Uh, what?” Alex replied sheepishly. John threw his head back and laughed, and  if that wasn’t the most gorgeous thing Alexander had ever seen. 

“I said, now that I’ve wasted three hours on telling you everything I know about turtles, maybe you could tell me something? About yourself, I mean.” 

Normally, Alex would’ve laughed it off, but John was staring at him with adorable puppy eyes and Alex suddenly felt like pouring his heart out. So, he cleared his throat and sat a tiny bit closer to John. Accidentally, of course. “Well, I’m from Nevis, an island in the Caribbean. I used to live there with my mom-”

 

“Alexander!” A booming voice cut him off, followed by a distinctly softer sounding voice. “Petit lion!” The voices and footsteps echoed down the halls, and John and Alex both diverted their attention to the source. Laf and Herc emerged from the hall, Hercules looking like an exasperated dad and Lafayette instantly perking up at the sight of Alex and a stranger on the floor, mere inches away from each other. “Mon Dieu,” he whispered, giddy on his feet like a kid in a candy store. He quickly composed himself, looking from the admittedly handsome stranger to Alexander, with a smug smirk on his face and a raised eyebrow. “Ah, mon ami, who is this?” 

Alex felt himself blushing for no apparent reason and, awkwardly enough, couldn’t find the right words to say. Luckily, like a guardian angel ascending from the Heavens, John cleared his throat and stood up, about to introduce himself.  _ Woah. Guardian angel? Calm down, Alex, you’ve known him for like, five hours.  _ “I’m John Laurens,” he said, grinning as he stuck out his hand for Laf, then Herc. Laf seemed to study him for a moment before matching John’s grin with one of his own. “Il est très beau, certainement votre type, non, petit lion?” he said to Alexander, a suggestive twinkle in his eyes. 

This time, Alex managed to contain his blushing a little. John, on the other hand, looked extremely flustered for a second, his freckles standing out even more now because of the blush creeping onto his cheeks, which Alex found utterly adorable. He managed to compose himself enough to mutter out a quick reply in slightly broken French. “Merci beaucoup pour le compliment, mais je ne pense pas que quelqu'un d'aussi mignon que Alex serait intéressé par moi.” 

And if Alex wasn’t blushing before, then he definitely was now. 

 

Laf practically squealed, and was about to reply when Hercules’ voice came crashing through like a bolt of thunder. “Enough with the French, you damp socks,” he practically shouted, though there was no real malice behind his words. Lafayette giggled before apologizing profusely and kissing his boyfriend on the tip of his nose, causing him to silently mutter, “French bastard,” which in turn prompted Laf’s response. “Oui, I am, but I’m your French bastard.” John groaned. “Are they always like this?’ he asked, turning to Alex. “Always,” Alex responded, taking in the astonishing sight that was John Laurens. 

Then Hercules turned his attention to John. “Hey John, me and Laf were about to ask Alex if he wanted to get pizza and some drinks back at Laf’s apartment, and if you come with us, there’s no way he’ll be able to refuse.” Lafayette whipped his head around, a few curls that had gotten loose from his bun dancing as he did. “Oh, yes, mon ami! Any friend of Alex,” he started, emphasising the word ‘friend’, “Is a friend of ours.” 

 

It was nine in the evening when Aaron’s phone flashed with big white letters. Aaron somehow made out the words  _ Angelica Schuyler _ , despite only being half-awake. Suddenly grateful that he had put it on silent a few hours before, he grabbed his phone, careful not to wake the sleeping woman beside him. The phone had already stopped ringing, and he quickly shot off a text to Angelica. 

 

**To Angelica Schuyler**

**Me:** I’ll call you back in approximately 10 minutes.

**Angelica:** Ok

 

He put down the phone and snuggled up beside the woman, Theodosia, smiling softly as she melted into his embrace, snoring quietly. He looked at her face, how half of it was covered with her dark curly hair that tickled his nose when he lied really close to her. She was radiant, even while she was asleep. He enjoyed the moments like these, when he could forget about their problems, the main one being her boyfriend. According to Theodosia, he was going to ask her to marry him next week. Aaron sighed. He had no idea what she wanted, but he knew that he wanted this. Moments shared between them, and not having to keep their relationship a secret. He wanted to be able to kiss her outside of his house. In the spring, when he could tell her that she was prettier than all the flowers in the park. In the summer, when he could watch her smile brighter than the sun on the hottest day of the year. In the fall, when he could look at her and admire the way her hair and eyes matched the autumn leaves. And in the winter, when he could give her his coat and swear he wasn’t cold, because she warmed his heart enough to make it through the weather.

 

Theodosia stirred in her sleep, and Aaron got out of bed. Yawning, he grabbed his phone and called Angelica back. After the phone rang twice, she picked up.

 

“Aaron Burr.”

“Angelica Schuyler. You called?”

“Yes. Tell Jefferson that me and Madison want to hear what you two have to say. We should meet up.”

“Alright. When and where?”

“How about Wednesday, in the library, after closing time? Since you have the keys.”

_ Wednesday, that’s in two days.  _ “Angelica-”

“Burr, I gotta go.”

“But-”

“See you Wednesday. Don’t forget to tell Jefferson, James seems almost giddy to meet up with him. Don’t disappoint him.” 

Aaron had a feeling there was an unspoken threat in the air, so he took on the coolest and most detached voice he could muster. “I won’t.” 

“Good,” she replied. Then she hung up. 

 

Aaron sighed, then turned around and was met with Theodosia mid-yawn, hair falling in her face, eyes barely open. He smiled at the sight. “Hey,” he whispered. She responded with a noncommittal grunt, beckoning for him to come back to bed. For Aaron, that was enough, and he made his way back to the bed. The words “I love you” died in his throat, washed over by worry as he remembered that this wasn’t perfect, even though it could be. Anyone else would easily become frustrated with Theodosia for not breaking it off with her boyfriend as soon as things got more serious, but Aaron was a patient man. Patient and in love, and he’d be lying if he said that that didn’t cloud his thinking even a little. But if what he and Theo had was real, then they’d find a way to stay together. And as he looked at the girl in his bed, the girl he loved, he realized that no matter how long it took, he was willing to wait for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dodgy French:  
> Il est très beau, certainement votre type, non, petit lion?  
> He is very beautiful, definitely your type, no, little lion?
> 
> Merci beaucoup pour le compliment, mais je ne pense pas que quelqu'un d'aussi mignon que Alex serait intéressé par moi  
> Thank you very much for the compliment, but I do not think that someone as cute as Alex would be interested in me
> 
> Oui: Yes  
> Mon ami: My friend  
> Mon Dieu: My God
> 
> By the way, school has already started for me so I'll probably be writing even less, though I'll try and keep up some kind of a routine :) 
> 
> Tell me what you think and hmu on Tumblr:  
> feelingpotato-y.tumblr.com
> 
> 200+ kudos???? OH MY GOD YOU GUYS!! Thanks so much :'D


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